Talk Like A Grizzled Prospector Day, Jan. 24th

Prospector on citrus label from Sydmer Ross Assoc., Placentia, Orange County, Calif.

Grab yer pick an' pan, 'cause this here Friday, Jan. 24th, is Talk Like A Grizzled Prospector Day (TLAGPD), dadgummit! That's the anniversary of th' discovery of gold at Sutter's Mill and the start of Californee's gold rush in 1848.

This year, even the National Frontier Trails Museum in Independence, Missouri will par-tissy-pate in TLAGPD, and them easterners are even stretchin' it out over the entire weekend, (Jan. 24-26). Any gal 'r feller what moseys in an' talks like a grizzled prospector'll git $2 off the price of admission! With that much extra cash in yer pockets, ye could go into town, pay for a hot bath and still have enough left over fer a steak dinner with all the fixin's!

Them museum folk are also takin' votes on yer favorite animated prospector: Yosemite Sam, Yukon Cornelius, or Stinky Pete.

O' course, ye kin have yer own TLAGPD fandango right here in California, which I reckon makes more sense anywise. Invite some friends over fer a Gabby Hayes movie and a slug er two o' rot gut whiskey! Post some keen insights on the TLAGPD Facebook page, or round up yer amigos fer a trip to a local historic mining site. Or, seen as how it's casual Friday, ye might wear yer best red long johns and suspenders. But most of all, Talk Like A Grizzled Prospector, goldurnit!

By the by,... If you was puzzlin' over the purty pitchur at the top o' this here post, it's a pre-1913 orange crate label honorin' the California '49ers, who were sometimes called "Argonauts." (They traveled afar and faced danger t' find gold, jest like Jason and the Argonauts did while seekin' the golden fleece.)

The crate label came from Dos Pinos Groves in what's now the city of Fullerton. They had their own little-bitty packing house right on the ranch! Befittin' it's noble name, Argonaut was the brand used when they was packin' high-quality oranges fer Sunkist.